Norwegian Getaway Review
Pleasantly surprised..with lots of details
Rating by category
Additional details
We just returned from our 7 day cruise on the NCL Getaway out of Miami. We traveled in a party of four, my husband and I, and another couple. I should start by saying we are in our upper 20s- mid 30s and do not have children. This was my fourth cruise ever (two on RCI and one on Celebrity), my husband's third, and the other couple's first. My husband and I were a little nervous reading the reviews being so used to the RCI and Celebrity style and perks...but we really enjoyed ourselves!
Here's what I thought went really well:
Entertainment:It was fantastic, but I must say I was a little annoyed that you had to pay extra for some of it or make sure that you got there early to get a seat. But, I see where other people would prefer to pay less overall or have the space of a large capacity theatre used for something else. We saw the Illusionarium - get the "floor seats" and get there early. There are graphics and things on the ceiling that if you sit in the back you may not be able to see. We watched all of the comedians. GREAT! As an adult I must say I was annoyed that people brought small children into the show - if they need an ipad or toys to keep them entertained, DON'T BRING THEM. We finally wised up and went to the LATE showing and that was MUCH better. Howl at the Moon was also great. I don't know why people were complaining about having to tip here - perhaps they have not seen this concept before?? I'd say the caliber of all the musicians was not the best I've seen, but they were all entertaining and certainly better than me! All of the live music was GREAT - I especially appreciated the live music by the pool - reggae! The Not So Newlywed Game is always a treat on any ship so I highly recommend that. We also spent some time in the casino. I'm not really a huge gambler, but I had a blast. That was, until someone would come around and start smoking like a chimney (not a smoker). Usually a good time though to cash out and head somewhere else! With that in mind, at times, you could sometimes smell smoke on the upper and lower levels near the casino. I do wish they had enclosed the casino like other ships, but since we had to walk through it everyday to get to our room or some of the restaurants, I understand why they did it. :-)
Cabin Review
Balcony Stateroom
Size was adequate. Storage was ample. Bathroom was comparable to other ships if not a little bigger. Only complaint was the a/c. It often would shut off after like 10 mins. We would wake up sweaty, go turn it back on, then wake up again sticking to the sheets. We thought it was connected to the room key and the power, but our room steward said this was not the case. Also, if you leave a key in the slot while you are out, it shows a light above your door and thus your room will not be made up! There is also a do not disturb light. Our safe quit working halfway through the trip and security was at our door within ten minutes to fix it.
Port Reviews
Miami
We stayed at the Holiday inn at Bayside. Cheap cab ride over to the port in the morning and plenty to do for a day before you board the ship!
Nassau
Lunch at Sharkee's, drinks at Casablanca, and swimming at public beach before being chased off by these guys trying to screw us over on some lounge chairs! Total buzz kill!!! Maybe pay the extra fee and go into a hotel to use their beach to avoid all the hassle.